Dishwashing apparatus



June 13, 1961 H. v. LuDwlcK ETAL 2,988,094

DISHWASHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. l5, 1960 @N mm l U l INVENTORS 4%@ j lsawfw@ f ATTORNEYS June 13, 1961 H. v. LuDwlcK ETAL 2,988,094

DISHWASHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 15, 1960 lV/LLEFE] mw zza/22125 Jwafwww ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 2,988,094 DISHWASHING APPARATUS Herbert V. Ludwick and Jack C. Cleveland, Louisville, Ky., assignors to Vulcan-Hart Corporation, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Indiana Filed Sept. 13, 1960, Ser. No. 55,699 6 Claims. (Cl. 134-72) The present invention relates in general to commercial Washing and cleaning machines of the continuous conveyor type for washing articles such as dishes, trays or any desired articles of generally flat coniiguratlon, and more particularly to mechanical spray-type, rack conveyor dishwashing machines wherein dishes are conveyed successively through a plurality of liquid spray stations.

Dishwashing machines which are utilized in commercial installations are generally arranged so that dishes to be washed are loaded in wire racks providing large openings for passage of liquid sprays into contact with the dishes and the racks are disposed on a conveyor and moved automatically through a succession of spray stations. Such spray stations typically include a washing station wherein sprays of detergent water solution are directed onto the dishes, and a rinsing station arranged immediately adjacent to the washing station to `direct sprays of plain water onto the dishes leaving the washing station. Frequently, a scraping station is disposed in the path of the conveyor preceding the washing station wherein strong sprays of hot water are played on the dishes to remove any food particles left on the dishes when they are stacked in the racks. These stations are positioned immediately adjacent each other in order that such machines occupy no more space than necessary.

lt is important in such machines that means be provided to prevent the spray solution of any one of these stations from entering the adjacent station so that neither -solution will dilute or contaminate the other. It has been the common practice to attempt to preserve such isolation of the several spray stations by positioning partitions between the individual stations, which have been formed of flexible curtains depending to approximately the level of the conveyor from a support or hood overlying the several stations to permit the racks of dishes to be conveyed from station to station. Such ilexible curtain partitions were usually quite inefficient in use and allowed excessive spray fluid to escape from the spray stations. Further, it has been recognized more recently that spray nozzles disposed both above and below the racks of dishes at the spray stations to direct sprays downwardly and upwardly on the dishes produce far more effective cleansing action. However, such depending flexible curtains lare not effective to isolate the spray lluids to their associated `spray stations where upwardly directed sprays are present.

Also, the continuous passage of the racks of dishes through such dishwashers caused the curtain to wear out in relatively short periods of time, necessitating frequent replacement and thus resulting in considerable loss of time, labor and materials.

, `An object of the present invention, therefore, is the Arack conveyor dishwashing machines between the respective spray stations thereof which effectively deect and divert the spray fluids to confine them to their associated Aspray stations and prevent contamination or dilution of Aeither spray solution by the other.

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Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel movable bale means for mechanical spray-type rack conveyor dishwashing machines of the character described in the preceding paragraph, which is located in the path of racks of dishes being conveyed through successive spray stations and which is constructed so as to allow unobstructed passage of the racks between spray stations.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detail description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing illustrating one preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section view, partly diagrammatic, of a mechanical spraytype rack conveyor dishwashing machine embodying the present invention, illustrating the pivoted spray baie in its normal, elevated position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical, longitudinal section view similar to FIGURE l, but illustrating the spray baille in downwardly pivoted position as when a dish rack is passing from one spray station to another; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary transverse section View thereof along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, there is illustrated diagrammatically the portion of a mechanical spray type rack conveyor dishwashing machine indicated generally by the reference character 10, having an elongated housing 11 enclosing sequentially arranged washing spray area 12 and rinsing spray area 13 spaced along the path of movement of the usual wire racks 14 in which the dishes 15, trays, or generally at items of any desired nature to be washed are arranged on edge in steeply upwardly inclined fashion. The trays 14 of dishes may be introduced into the dishwasher housing 11 through any suitable access opening indicated at 16 at the left-hand side of the housing as viewed in FIGURE l, and deposited on the upper ight lof the usual endless conveyor chain 17 trained about sprockets at the longitudinal ends of the housing 11, one of which is shown at 18.

The washing spray area or station 12 is pro'vided with upper spray manifold 19 having nozzles 20 in the lower portions thereof for discharging a downwardly directed spray of detergent water solution onto the dishes 15 occupying the washing spray station 12, and additionally contains lower spray manifolds 21 disposed below the rack 14 occupying this station having upwardly directed nozzles 22 for discharging detergent water spray solution upwardly onto the dishes 15. In like manner, the rinse spray station 13 is provided with upper spray manifold 23 having downwardly directed nozzles 24 and lower spray manifold 25 having upwardly directed nozzles 26 for discharging downwardly and upwardly directed sprays of plain water upon the dishes 15 occupying this station. These sprays are preferably of the pumped, recirculated type, although the present invention is not restricted in its application to any particular type of spray.

It will be appreciated that the spray solution discharging in strong jets or streams from the nozzles 20 of the upper manifold 19 would be diverted and deflected by the dishes 15 along the paths indicated by the lines 20a toward the next adjacent spray station 13 and would contaminate the spray solution discharged by the nozzles 24 and 26 if some provision for confining the spray solution to its respective spray station were not provided. By the same token, the plain water spray discharged from the nozzles 24 and 26 in the rinse station 13 would be diverted by the dishes 15 in that station along similar paths toward the wash spray station 12 and would dilute the detergent water solution. To eilectively confine the spray solutions to their respective spray stations and still permit unobstructed passage of the racks 14 from one spray station to the other, a pivoted baille 28 is provided, in the form of a generally rectangular, dished or cupped splash pan of sheet metal having a ilat back wall 29 terminating at its upper end in an inclined lip 30 located slightly above the level of ythe top of the rack 14 and bounded laterally on each side by ilanges 31 extending from the upper inclined lip 30 downwardly over the major portion of the height of the baille 28 to a point well below the upper ilight of the conveyor chain 17. The lip 30 and ilanges 31 Vbound what may be termed the splash pan portion 32 of the baille 28, and the back wall 29 having a lower portion 33 depending below the splash pan portion. VU-shaped bearing brackets or bearing ears 34 are fixed as by welding, riveting, or the like to the back wall 29 of the baille 28 adjacent the opposite side edges thereof to receive pivot pins 35 which project into brackets 36 fixed to the sides of the dishwashing machine. The pivot pins 35, it will be noted, are located below the level of the upper ilight of 'the conveyor `chain 17 and near the bottom of the ilanges 31, so that the baille Z8 may be pivoted down to an approxirnately horizontal position as illustrated in FIGURE 2 whereby the rack 14 can pass over the baille 28. The flanges 31 are of approximately triangular proiile with their free edges diverging downwardly relatively to the plane of the back wall 29, and these free edges of the llanges 31 are disposed horizontally when the baille 28 assumes the down position of FIGURE 2 whereby the back wall 29 is inclined slightly downwardly and toward the wash spray section 12 `or to the left as viewed in FIG- URE 2 to drain any solution in the splash pan back into Vthe wash or first spray station 12. The cupped or dished conguration provided by the lip 30 also serves to prevent solution in the splash pan from surging up the inclined back wall 29 and over the lip 3i) into the adjacent rinse or second section 13.

The bame 28 is unbalanced and is counterbalanced by thecounterweight 37 mounted on the lower portion 330i thebatlle below the pivot pins 35, so as to automatically return to its upright position. Obviously other wellknown expedients may be employed for accomplishing this return ofthe bafile, such as a spring, mechanical leverage-activated by movement of the rack, conveyor or weight of water, or the like. A ilxed stop 38 is xed on across frame member 39 or other convenient stationary support at a suitable location to engage the counterweight 37 or the lower portion 33 of the back wall 29 and position the baille 28 so that its back wall 29 inclines upwardly and toward the iirst or wash spray section 12 from its pivotal axis. The baille 23 may be Iheld in its upright position by means of a permanent magnet 40 incorporated in or associated with the stop 38, which cooperates with the counterweight 37, in this case, formed of magnetizable metal, to magnetically restrain the baille in upright position. The holding action of the magnet il is beneficial in eliminating any bouncing action of the baffle against the stop bracket 83, as the baille pivots to its upright position and in holding the baille in upright position against the force of the spray.

It will be apparent that the above-described construction provides effective bailling between the wash spray station -12 and rinse spray `station 13 toV prevent contamination-or dilution of either of the spray solutions by the other. The baffle 28, while in the upright position of FIGURE l, effectively diverts the deilected spray solutions back into their respective tanks, and is disposed so that the rack 14 traveling on the `conveyor chain 15 engages the free edges of the lateral flanges 31 of the baille 28 and cams the barile down to the depressed position of FIGURE 2 to 'allow the items being `cleanded to be mechanically conveyed over the baille 28 into the next spray station. After passage of the rack 14 over the baille y28, thebaiile automatically-returns to its uprightzposition and remains in this stable position until it is depressed by passage of another rack into engagement with it.

While but one specific embodiment of the present invention has been particularly shown and described, it is apparent that various modifications may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be placed on the invention as are imposed bythe prior art and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dishwashing machine having a pair of iluid spray stations arranged in succession therein along a path of travel of dishes through the machine and a conveyor for conveying racks of dishes through said spray stations, means interposed between said pair of spray stations for confining spray iluid therein comprising a baffle member of generally rectangular configurationV pivotally supported at a horizontal pivotal axis extending transversely of the path of movement of the racks of dishes and disposed below the bottom of said racks, said `liaille member normally occupying a generally upright position and having a wall extending transversely of the path of rack movement in the path of spray iluids deflected from the dishes occupying one of said spray stations toward the other spray station to divert such spray iluids back into said .one of said spray stations, said baille member including means disposed in the path of movement of the racks on said conveyor when said baille member occupies its normal upright position to be engaged by said racks and forced downwardly about its pivotal axis toy a depressed position wherein the baille member lies wholly `below the level of the bottom of said racks and vmeans for returning the baille member to its normal upright position when the same is free of Contact with the racks of dishes on said conveyor.

2. In a dishwashing machine having a pair of fluid spray stations including ilrst and second spray stations arranged in succession therein along a path of travel of dishes through the machine, spray discharge means for discharging spray iluids onto the dishes occupying said spray stations, and a conveyor for conveying racks of dishes along a generally horizontal path through said spray stations, baille means interposed between successive spray stations for confining the spray lluids therein and preventing contamination of the spray iluids at one station by spray iluids from the other comprising a dished splash pan of generally rectangular coniiguration pivotally supported at a horizontal pivotal axis extending generally transversely of the path of movement of the racks of dishes and disposed below the bottom of said racks, said splash pan normally occupying a generally upright position and having a iluid deilecting wall extending from a level below the top of the racks on said conveyor to a level spaced below such racks and covering an extent vertically and transversely of the path of travel of the racks to divert spray iluids deilected thereagainst from the dishes occupying said iirst spray station back into said .first spray station, said splash pan having a portion disposed in the path of movement of the racks on said conveyor from said rst spray station to said second spray station when the splash pan occupies its normal upright position shaped in relationto a leading edge portion of the racks to be engaged by the racks and forced downwardly about its pivotal axis to a depressed position spaced below the path of travel of said racks, and means for returningthe splash pan to itsV normal upright position when the same is freeof contact with the racks of dishes on said conveyor.

3. In a dishwashing machine, a plurality of iluid spray stations including iirst and second spray Stations arranged in succession therein along a path of travel of the dishes through the machine, an endless conveyor including a pair of laterally .spaced conveyor chains having an upper ilight yfor engaging lateral edge portions of the bottom of the racks to convey theracks of dishes through said spray stations, iluid spray nozzle meansin said spray ,5 stations for discharging fluid sprays upwardly and downwardly upon the dishes occupying said spray stations, a dished splash pan of generally rectangular configuration pivotally supported at a horizontal pivotal axis extending transversely of the path of movement of the racks of dishes and disposed below -the bottom of the racks, said splash pan normally occupying a generally upright position and having a tluid deecting wall substantially spanning the space between said pair of conveyor chains and extending from a level above the top of racks on said conveyor to a level spaced below such racks to divert spray fluids deflected thereagainst from dishes occupying said first spray station back into the same, said splash pan hav ing marginal flange portions extending toward said rst spray station from the lateral edges of said wall disposed in the path of movement of the racks on said conveyor from said first spray station to said second spray station when said splash pan occupies its normal upright position, said ange portions having surfaces shaped in relation to leading edge portions of the bottoms of said racks to be engaged by said racks upon movement of the same from said first spray station to said second spray station and coacting therewith to -force said splash pan downwardly about its pivotal axis to a depressed position wherein said splash pan lies wholly below the bottoms of the racks on said conveyor and means for returning the splash pan to its normal upright position when the same is free of contact with the racks of dishes on .said conveyor.

4. In a dishwashing machine, the combination recited in claim 3, wherein said wall of said splash pan is 6 inclined in such relation to said rst spray station when said splash pan occupies said depressed position to drain stray uids back into said lirst spray station.

5. In a dishwashing machine, the combination recited in claim 3 wherein xed stop means are disposed to engage a portion of the wall of said splash pan when the latter occupies said upright position, and. magnet means are provided for magnetically restraining said wall in contact with said stop means to retain said splash pan in its upright position when the latter is free of contact with the racks of dishes.

6. In a dishwashing machine, the combination recited in claim 3 wherein the wall of said splash pan has a lower portion disposed below said horizontal pivotal axis when said splash pan occupies its normal upright position, counterweight means on said Ilower wall portion for gravitationally urging said splash pan to its normal upright position when the same is free of contact with the racks of dishes, said counterweight means being of magnetizable material, a stationary stop member disposed to be abutted by said counterweight means to position said wall of said splash pan along a plane inclined upwardly and toward said rst splash station from said stop means, said stop means including a magnet coacting with said counterweight means -to magnetically restrain said splash pan in its normally upright position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,943,775 Taylor Ian. 16, 1934 

